Each country has many interesting features and details. You can tell a lot about any of them. Especially if it is a distant and exotic land. For example, the African Republic of Mali. What is the first thing to know about her?
Geographical position
You can find on the map of Mali in the west of the African continent. The country occupies almost one and a half million square kilometers, or rather, 1.24. Twenty-two thousand of them are occupied by water, and all the rest are land. The size of the country can be better imagined if you know that it is comparable to South Africa or twice as large as Texas. The length of the border is seven thousand two hundred forty-three kilometers. In the west of the country is Senegal, in the north - Algeria and Mauritania, in the east are Niger and Burkina Faso, in the south of Mali is the country of Côte d'Ivoire, formerly known as the Ivory Coast, as well as Guinea.
Capital and Regions
As in any state, in Mali there is a complex system of administrative division. According to it, eight regions are distinguished in the territory. A separate unit is the capital of Mali - Bamako. Regions are divided into districts, of which there are two hundred eighty-eight in the country. In addition to administrative division, there is also a geographical one. The nature of Mali is divided into five large areas. These are deserts in the north of the state, the transition region is the Sahel, two types of savannahs and the territory of the Niger Delta.
Water pool
The largest river is the Niger, which flows from Guinea, crosses the territory of Mali and heads to the northeast. In the channel there are many branches, channels and lakes, as well as swamps. There are facilities in the delta that allow the distribution of water for irrigation. Since the Republic of Mali is located in a rather dry region, the availability of hydraulic engineering is of great importance for it. Part of the artificial irrigation canals repeats the historical course of Niger. In the west of the country there is also the Senegal River, which appears as a result of the confluence of Bakoy and Bafing. In its delta is the lowest point of Mali. The country also has several highlands. In the southwest, the sandstone of the mountains becomes the frame of the upper basin of the Niger and the Baths, which is a tributary.
Mountain ranges
In addition to the sandstone plateaus, there are other zones of the earth's crust rise in the territory. The mountains between the cities of Gao and Mopti are especially pronounced. To the east of the latter there is a remnant mass called Hombory. The highest point is a mountain of one thousand one hundred fifty-five meters. This is a record not only of the massif, but of the whole country. Another major elevation is the Adrar-Iforas Plateau.
Vegetation
Despite the harsh hot climate that distinguishes Africa, Mali can boast a variety of flora. Most of the territories are covered with a variety of shrubs and cereals. Acacia, palms of the form of doom, baobabs, ner, kapok trees, shea butter, ceibes, wild plums and other exotic varieties are found on the territory of the Sahel. In the south there are Ronye palm trees, Senegalese kayas, terminals, various grassy plants.
Animal world
The fauna of Mali impresses with its incredible diversity. Large desert antelopes — oryxes, addaxes, as well as gazelles, cheetahs, giraffes, and striped hyenas — are most often found in desert regions . In the savannahs live warthogs - African wild pigs, and various predators - jackals, lions and leopards. Antelopes are common. Unfortunately, the number of elephants is constantly decreasing. Of considerable importance are the rivers and lakes of Mali. The country is engaged in fishing, the most valuable is the Nile perch, also known as the "captain". Insects are widely represented - bees, mosquitoes, termites, midges. Many species are dangerous to the health of animals and humans. The vegetation and animals of the state are protected by a national park called Buccle du Baule.
Natural resources
All kinds of resources necessary for the active development of the state are well represented in Mali. The country boasts deposits of precious metals and stones - gold and diamonds are mined here. In addition, in the mines of Mali, you can find copper, bauxite, manganese, uranium, granite, lithium, sodium chloride. There is kaolin clay in the country.
Climatic conditions
The country is located in the tropical continental strip. To the south, where the capital of Mali is located, the climate is subequatorial. Dry and rainy seasons alternate there. The first lasts from November to June, and the second from July to October. During the dry season, the country is dominated by northeast winds that lead to sandstorms. In the center of Mali, Bamako, there are impressive temperature fluctuations within one day - it is cool in the evenings, nights and early mornings, and by noon the thermometer shows more than thirty degrees of heat. In the region in the Sahara there are Harmatana winds, characterized by hurricane force. The temperature here reaches forty-five degrees of heat. The southern territories differ in the maximum amount of precipitation - up to one and a half thousand millimeters per year fall here. There are regular droughts throughout the country. In the Sahara region, one hundred and fifty millimeters a year falls, near the city of Timbuktu - two hundred and thirty.
The peoples of Mali
Almost one hundred percent of the country's population is represented by Negroids. Representatives of the Mediterranean type of Caucasians, Arabs and Tuaregs, are found only in some northern territories. The ethnic diversity of Mali is impressive - the peoples of the state are in the tens. Most of them belong to the Niger-Cordo-Fan language family, there are also representatives of the West Atlantic, Afrasian and Volt. The most numerous people are Bambara, native speakers of the most common language. Such an ethnic group can be found in the central part of the country. The next is the raspberry with representatives in the west. Like the previous one, this people is mainly engaged in farming and raising livestock.
Both senufo and mande live in agriculture. On the shores of Niger live the nomadic cattle breeding. Dogon live in the most rocky regions, surprisingly succeeding in farming in the most disadvantaged areas. Special mention worthy of the Tuaregs. These are nomadic people from the east. Arabs are engaged in cattle breeding and trade in the area of Lake Fagibin and in the Sahara. Despite the fact that this people is not the most common, it strongly affects the development of the state. Thus, the Muslim religion spread under their influence and became the choice of the majority.
An interesting ethnos is fulbe. Their appearance combines signs of the Negroid and Caucasoid race. They have light brown skin. They live in fulbe on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and in the territory of the Sahel, as well as in the Niger Delta. Non-Muslim populations retain traditional beliefs. People worship plants, animals, stones, and also honor the spirits of their ancestors. Interestingly, some peoples accept Islam, but retain separate pagan beliefs. The country is characterized by a high population growth rate - over the past fifteen years, the number of inhabitants has increased by more than two percent annually. Almost half of the citizens are under the age of fifteen, and representatives of the retirement age are no more than six percent.
State Symbols of Mali
The country gained independence not so long ago. Symbolism appeared in 1961, after the country ceased to be part of the French community. As a flag, a canvas in the shape of a quadrangle is used, the length of which refers to the width in a proportion of three to two. It is used on land for state, civil and military purposes. The flag is divided into three vertical stripes of the same size. The shaft has a light green stripe, in the center is bright yellow, and red on the edge. The first is a symbol of hope, fields and pastures, agriculture, on which the economy is based. In addition, it is a sign of continuous innovation and modernization. Yellow indicates the wealth of the bowels that belong to every inhabitant of the country. Finally, red is a sign of the struggle for freedom and independence. Previously, the flag of the colony was a French flag, complemented by a black figure of the Kanaga. This is an image of a man who came up with the idea of the exclusivity of the black race. The racist figurine was removed from symbolism in 1961. Unusually, but there are no flag colors on the coat of arms. It is a blue disk on which is painted a white falcon with a bow and arrow, complemented by a crown.